Lyon provisionally top in France as Marseille lurk

PARIS (AFP) –

Lyon’s Argentinian forward Lisandro Lopez celebrates after scoring during the French L1 football match Olympique Lyonnais (OL) vs AC Ajaccio (ACA), at the Gerland Stadium in Lyon. Lyon took over pole position in the French league, at least for a few hours, on Sunday after a 2-0 win over Ajaccio with goals from Dejan Lovren and Lisandro.

Lyon took over pole position in the French league, at least for a few hours, on Sunday after a 2-0 win over Ajaccio with goals from Dejan Lovren and Lisandro.

The win – Lyon’s fourth in five matches this term – moved the eastern side onto 13 points from five games – one ahead of Marseille, who were facing struggling Nancy in the late match bidding to maintain their perfect start.

Corsican outfit Ajaccio were deducted two points over incidents during an encounter with Lyon last season and were unable to pull back some of that deficit Sunday as they finished well beaten.

New signing Adrian Mutu, formerly of Juventus and Chelsea fame, was unable to make a difference in attack, only earning a yellow card for his efforts.

Lorient’s French midfielder Alain Traore (R) celebrates after scoring during the French L1 football match against Rennes at the Route de Lorient stadium in Rennes. Nine-man Lorient won 2-1 at 10-man Rennes in a card-strewn Brittany derby on Sunday to climb to second place in the Ligue 1 table and leave their local rivals in the bottom three.

Earlier, nine-man Lorient won 2-1 at 10-man Rennes in a card-strewn Brittany derby to climb to third and leave their local rivals in the bottom three.

Burkinabe midfielder Alain Traore was the visitors’ match-winner, putting Lorient ahead with a fine 30-yard lob in the 23rd minute and extending their lead just before half-time with a ferocious free-kick that swerved into the top-left corner.

Lorient had Maxime Baca sent off for a two-footed lunge at Jonathan Pitroipa in the 31st minute and then saw goalkeeper Fabien Audard dismissed for a foul on the same player eight minutes into the second half.

Pitroipa reduced the arrears in the 71st minute, but Rennes’ momentum was clipped seven minutes later when substitute Cheick Diarra saw red for an ugly high foul on the impressive Traore.

Lorient are two points ahead of Paris Saint Germain, who beat Toulouse 2-0 at home on Friday to stand joint fourth on nine points with Bordeaux.